Land plants exist in close association with bacterial and fungal microbes, where some associations can be pathogenic and others can be mutualistic/beneficial. One such relation exists between host plant, Cuminum cyminum L. (Cumin) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini (Foc), the causal pathogen of cumin wilt and Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf), where Pf acts as a bio-agent for inhibiting Foc and promoting plant growth of cumin. In this study, antagonism by 10 different Pf isolates against Foc was studied under laboratory conditions through percent growth inhibition and biochemical mechanisms. Among these Pf isolates, Pf-5 exhibited the highest in vitro growth inhibition (82.51%). A positive correlation was observed between percent growth inhibition and specific activities of hydrolytic enzymes, chitinase, β-1, 3 glucanase, and protease, where a negative correlation was observed with cell wall degrading enzymes, cellulase and polygalacturonase. To conclude, isolate Pf-5 could be a potential biocontrol agent for Fusarium wilt disease of cumin.

Common Alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) is a tree species native to Ireland and Europe with high economic and ecological importance. The presence of Alder has many benefits including the ability to adapt to multiple climate types, as well as aiding in ecosystem restoration due to its colonization capabilities within disturbed soils. However, Alder is susceptible to infection of the root rot pathogen Phytophthora alni, amongst other pathogens associated with this tree species. P. alni has become an issue within the forestry sector as it continues to spread across Europe, infecting Alder plantations, thus affecting their growth and survival and altering ecosystem dynamics. Beneficial microbiota and biocontrol agents play a crucial role in maintaining the health and resilience of plants. Studies have shown that beneficial microbes promote plant growth as well as aid in the protection against pathogens and abiotic stress. Understanding the interactions between A. glutinosa and its microbiota, both beneficial and pathogenic, is essential for developing integrated management strategies to mitigate the impact of P. alni and maintain the health of Alder trees. This review is focused on collating the relevant literature associated with Alder, current threats to the species, what is known about its microbial composition, and Common Alder–microbe interactions that have been observed worldwide to date. It also summarizes the beneficial fungi, bacteria, and biocontrol agents, underpinning genetic mechanisms and secondary metabolites identified within the forestry sector in relation to the Alder tree species. In addition, biocontrol mechanisms and microbiome-assisted breeding as well as gaps within research that require further attention are discussed.

Ensifer adhaerens OV14 underpins the successful crop transformation protocol termed Ensifer-mediated transformation but issues exist in regard to addressing the pleomorphic tendency of the bacterium in suboptimal conditions, identifying the optimal parameters for electrotransformation and defining the strain's antibiotic profile. Here, modifications made to growth medium composition addressed the pleomorphic trait of E. adhaerens OV14, delivering uniform E. adhaerens OV14 growth to ensure efficient rates of electroporation with plasmids up to 42.2 kb in size. Separately, 63 putative antibiotic resistance coding sequences were identified across the E. adhaerens OV14 genome, with testing confirming the strain's susceptibility to gentamicin (≥10 mg L⁻¹), tetracycline (≥10 mg L⁻¹), chloramphenicol (≥100 mg L⁻¹) and cefotaxime (≥500 mg L⁻¹) and resistance to ampicillin, paramomycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, ticarcillin–clavulanate and kanamycin. Partial resistance against carbenicillin, rifampicin, hygromycin-B and neomycin was also recorded. Resistance to kanamycin was supported by seven independent nptII-like homologs located within the E. adhaerens OV14 genome. Transcriptional analysis of these targets highlighted two homologs (AHK42288 and AHK42618) whose transcription was significantly elevated within 2 h exposure to kanamycin and which in the case of AHK42288 was maintained out to 6 h post-exposure. In conclusion, our results have identified optimal conditions for the handling of E. adhaerens and have identified a future genome editing target (AHK42288) to negate the kanamycin-resistant phenotype of E. adhaerens.

Reforestation initiatives are often limited by insufficient seeds, a problem exacerbated by natural variability in tree flowering and seed production and climate change and other environmental challenges. Innovative and adaptive solutions such as in vitro propagation are thus needed. Tissue culture can provide high-quality propagation material for tree conservation and mass propagation, but faces technical, economic, regulatory, and social barriers. Obstacles related to the academia–industry interface and to stakeholder concerns are discussed and actions suggested to overcome these barriers to realize the full potential of tree micropropagation. These include refining techniques to improve efficiency and reduce costs; establishing collaborations among researchers, industry, and foresters; and reducing points of contention and misinformation regarding genetic diversity and public perception. International collaborative initiatives, exemplified by the EU COST Action CA21157 COPYTREE, are elementary for achieving these goals.